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LANKAN GOVERNMENT IS NOT READY FOR PEACE NOR FOR WAR

By Shyamon Jayasinghe

Stuck in the middle of a most intractable impasse of its own making, the current Sri Lankan Government (GOSL) is not ready for peace; nor is it ready for war.

The government of Mahinda Rajapakse is hamstrung by an impossible fence erected by the JVP/JHU givisum. Binding conditions of the Mahinda Chinthanaya include, no Norway, no non-unitary constitution, no PTOMS, no recognition of LTTE as sole partner in negotiation, and, now, no Oslo as venue for talks. It is some achievement that the new President has managed to retain Norway mediation against the inclinations of his Norway-hating coalition partners-JVP/JHU. That was a plain concession to reality because the global powers including India wants Norway to stay. It puzzles me to think how JVP/JHU sympathisers have demonised Norway when all others want that country’s mediation.

The point we are immediately making out here, however, is that in view of the above restrictions there is little that the government has to bring to the negotiating table. When one starts with a “no” on the core issues, there is simply no point in moving over to the table. This has been realized by global powers and that is why the latter have become reticent over the new government’s pleas. Furthermore, that is why the Indian government made a power-point presentation of that country’s model of federalism to the recent Presidential delegation. India has even backed out of the defence pact that Ranil Wickremasinghe had mooted. The adamantine stand of the GOSL on the core issues is seen as a reflection of the new Sinhala extremist influence on it. By bringing in a government tied to demands of parties known for their communal attitudes, Mahinda Rajapakse has played right into the ploy of the Tiger supremo. Already, in Tamilnadu Vaiko and his band of incurable liars is busy spreading the false word that the new GOSL is a threat to the Tamil race. This is why Jayalalitha cancelled the appointment she had given the Lankan President to meet her during his recent tour. Now, if this Tamilnadu factor continues to develop things are going to be very hard for Sri Lanka. The government must therefore tread with great caution. As an illustration,The hunt for Tigers in Wellawatte and other areas is something that was long overdue; something that Ranil and CBK had ignored. However, when the word is spread that this operation was Kotakadeniya- planned, once again the hand of the JHU is seen.

If the peace process cannot take off the ground due to considerations such as the above, then war should be a possible option. However, the GOSL has not budgeted for war and so war will not work. Any budgeting at this stage would heap imponderable burdens on the people and nothing of Mahinda Chinthanaya promises could be fulfilled. Nor are our defence forces mentally ready for a sudden escalation of war. Furthermore, if the war option were chosen, all manner of global sanctions would come down on Lanka and aid would come only in trickles. The US ambassador in Sri Lanka, Jeffrey Lunstead recently told a gathering of Colombo businessmen that it is Washington policy to allow islanders to realize themselves that the war option is going to be at great cost to both parties. Washington does help Lanka militarily in many ways-by way of military training, by assistance programs including efforts to help with counter-terrorism initiatives and by blocking financial transactions of overseas Tigers. All this to enhance the capacity of the GOSL to deal with the situation. The rest of it is left to the GOSL.

Various self-styled “professors”, “Dutugemunus”, and “Perakums” can write in online news columns urging the GOSL to go to war. However, they do so totally oblivious of the bitter reality that the global dimension of this twenty-year conflict is a most serious one to contend with. This is not the time for Dutugemunus. We have to fight the LTTE not with the idea of preserving the state for the Sinhalese people but to preserve the integrity of the small island without letting it break up. The country needs not emotional rabble-rousers but sensible, pragmatic and intelligent leaders who get about the task of building a nation from among a plurality of ethnic and religious groups that have historically inhabited in the land.



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